Orc Physiology

Orcs are typically taller than humans and are much wider and stockier in appearance. They have very large muscular frames, giving them a powerful, yet stooped build due to their heads which give the appearance of resting squarely on their shoulders. Orcs have very large heads with thick strong skulls; their eyes tend to be set well back into their skulls which provides them with a natural, built-in helmet. They have huge jaws filled with sharp teeth that are used to gore opponents. Some, but not all orcs possess a set of tusks. This seems to be a gene-based characteristic, much like blue eyes or red hair. These tusks tend to be a desirable trait within the orc population. Orcs tend have an ape-like appearance with long gangly arms that come almost down to their knees; their hands are much larger than their frame would suggest and can be clenched into powerful fists. They tend to have greenish-brown flesh which is thick and becomes gnarled, knobbly and tough with age much like scales. Orcs have thick pungent smelling blood that is sticky and poisonous to most races, especially elves. They also tend to have an atypically high pain threshold, and they are not easily thwarted by such non-events as losing a finger or even a limb. Skin grows back quickly and often stronger, and, due to their bodies rarely succumbing to infection, limbs can be replaced with simple wooden or metal replacements.

Orcs reproduce sexually in much the same manner as an elf or human, but their females tend to carry young in a large sac on their backs. Females of the species tend to be slightly smaller but are no less muscular than the menfolk. As orcs become more powerful they build even more muscle and fat; this makes sure only the strongest are qualified to claim the title of Chieftain. Orcs tend to have dark hair and eyes, but Orcs born with yellow eyes are often magically endowed and become powerful shamans. The bone of an orc is unbelievably hard and takes many years to decompose; it is for this reason that when powerful orcs die, their family will make artifacts with their bones. The shamans tend to take the skull as it is imbued with powerful magic after an orc dies. Orcs tend to reach physical maturity around forty and can live to be around three hundred, if they are not killed prematurely in battle.

Orc Psychology

Orcs are not as intelligent as some of the more civilized races, though they are extremely intuitive. They pick up on body language and demeanor, using those markers to interact with other species. Some are fluent in marginal common, while others choose not to learn a language outside their own. Orcs are often viewed as loners, though they form a tight-knit, inclusive society. Due to easing racial tensions within Gualon, some orcs send their children into the city to be mentored in a trade, and occasionally, a human tutor is allowed into the Encampment to help instruct the younger orcs.

Orcs are taught at a young age that honor and respect come through victory and responsibility. Youths are sent out to face grueling rites of passage, from which some do not return. They regard that circumstance as a divine intervention, meant to weed out the weaker orcs from among their midst.

Orc Society

Orc society is uncomplicated and generally unchanged since the first Orcs marched out of the southern badlands and set up camp in the swamps of Gualon. Orcs are usually arranged into several clans, or tribes, which each have a chief; the chiefs usually owe some kind of loyalty to orc Chieftain who is an orc of terrific social standing, low cunning, and gigantic proportions. All other orcs below the chiefs are arranged into very loose tiers from which the leaders of orc tribes are near the top and their foot soldiers below; orcs tend to be too unwieldy to organize into real battalions and units unless impelled by an outside force. The tougher and more successfully violent the orc is, the higher up the social ladder they will manage to climb. Orcs continuously fight amongst themselves to see who will be leader, who will get a good mate, who gets the most food, or just for pure entertainment.

Virtually every dark army that has savaged the elder races or tried to conquer the lands has contained these savage barbarians as they truly are born to battle. Orcs take care of their own tribe and any outsider that harms a member becomes an enemy of the whole tribe, who will, in turn, hunt them down with vicious and violent determination. In the past, orc Chieftains have rallied the horde to their banner and marched to plunder and pillage the northern lands and it is these times that are fondly remembered by the orcs usually in the tavern with a mug of fungus beer while waiting for the smithy to sharpen their blade to do it all over again.

Orcs & Religion

Orc religion is a virtual magocracy with the shamans and witch doctors comprising their form of priesthood. Very few orcs worship in a regular fashion; that work is left to the shamans who perform unusual rites around gigantic and ancient totem poles in their encampment, dedicated to the orc god, Rothik. The ceremonies the shamans perform occasionally involve the sacrifice of captured enemies or known criminals and almost always involved the mass consumption of orc alcohol, particularly the famous fungus beer. It is quite possible that the drunken state brought on by this mass consumption of booze and the eating of odd mushrooms and meats is what spurs the Shamans visions of events to come, which almost always reflect some brilliant plundering of a city to the north, despite the alliances the city of Gualon has established with those neighboring cities for continued trade and prosperity.

As legend tells it, Rothik was an orc of unparalleled strength and cunning. He attained godhood through his numerous conquests of the lands, frequently being able to rally not only the divided orc tribes to his banner, but other races as well. The gods venerated this fierce warrior after Rothik ran out of things to conquer, granting him a place within the immortal plane. Today, tradition holds that Rothik will grant his orc brethren greater ability in combat and magic. These gifts are bestowed through his shaman on his devout followers, or orcs who have proven themselves in battle, managing to earn his recognition. The Droghan maintain an area in the swamp devoted to his worship.

Orc History

Orcs historically occupied the swampy lowlands of Gualon many centuries ago. They settled the area and inhabited it, though it was soon encroached upon by humans, looking to establish trade routes in the area. A series of battles ensued thereafter, each side angling for control of the growing city. The barbaric humans had little regard for the brutish orcs and sought to eradicate them, while the orcs saw precious little worth in the humans, and attempted to do the same to them. After a lengthy and bloody civil war, an agreement was made, a treaty struck. The war ended after an uneasy truce was declared.

Racial tensions ran rampant throughout the city for the next century, with a few scattered skirmishes occurring. But eventually those tensions eased, and now, Gualon orcs and the civilized humans are close allies. Humans rely on the orcs to protect the city, while the orcs entrust the good of the city to the humans, to make sure commodities are able to flow in and out, and nearby hunting grounds are kept unoccupied and unsettled.

Fully integrated now through years of diplomacy, Gualonian orcs treat humans like one of their own. Some orcs find this truce difficult, at odds with their very nature as warriors, and highly aggressive ones at that. But the treaty has held firm and uncontested, and over time, they have realized that the humans ensure more supplies are brought into the city -- the finest metals for their swords and the strongest armor. However, the treaty has caused some division in the orc community. Some factions have splintered off, who disagree with the truce and the ensuing peace. These orcs have been excommunicated from Gualon and forced to move elsewhere in the land.

Orc Tribes

Gualonian orcs are split into five different factions. After an orc youth's rites of passage, they are given the opportunity to choose which tribe they will join. Many choose to stay in the tribe in which they were born; but inter-tribe mobility is allowed. Also, within each tribe itself, opportunity is given to advance in the ranks, perhaps even to become tribal chief of that tribe. There is one exception to the loose rules surrounding the tribes - the Droghan tribe.

Rothkquin is the largest tribe, and also carries the mantle of leadership within the orc community. Chieftains are chosen from this tribe, though Champions (though who fight on an individual basis to represent Gualon) can come from any tribe. Rothkquinni Orcs are fearsome and highly aggressive. They compose the bulk of Gualon's specialized army, and over the years, they have accepted humans into their ranks, to aid in the heat of battle with minutiae like deftly repairing broken weapons, or providing new ones, adjusting armor, providing fire, or signaling for combat medics and healers. The war tribe is responsible for ruling within the orc encampment. If injustices occur, the war tribe will hear those cases and mete out punishment at their discretion. Rarely does Gualonian law come into play, though any orc is free to ask for a trial by his peers if he feels he will not receive justice from his brethern. (This usually only occurs in matters of extreme grievances, such as murder by self-defense.) Rothkquinni Orcs have moderate intelligence. Most are unable to read or write at all, but speak some common tongue and recognize the need for self-restraint.

The Gualortan Tribe are a somewhat more advanced and sophisticated form of orc who have learned to combine the ways of civilized folk with their own traditional ways of brutish barbaric life. The Gualortan have become a police force for the laws of a more civilized Gualon. The tribe considers themselves keepers and enforcers of the laws and try to uphold the ideals placed into effect by the treaties within the city. They are the sworn protectors and security force within Gualon and attempt to control the other orc tribes from getting out of hand as well as watching out for any injustice taking place in the swampy lands. The tribe tends to stay in Gualon and does not travel often to war in other lands. It is the Gualortans' first and primary job to defend the city of Gualon and keep secure her lands and hunting grounds; additionally, over time and as commerce and merchant trade increased in the city, the Gualortan have added internal security to their repertoire, establishing a presence with the long founded City Guard. Gualortan Orcs have the highest intelligence of their tribal brethren. It is not unusual for a Gualortan orc to be mostly fluent in common, and also able to write with some degree of sophistication (though frequently, they employ an orphan for their literary endeavors). Gualortan are brutish, but the least likely to break the treaty with the humans. Thus, some humans are incredibly loyal to this tribe, and will frequently seek out the orcs for personal security jobs.

Crutzin - Commerce/Construction Tribe

Along with the Gualrotan, the tribe most frequently found within Gualon city limits are the Crutzin. The Crutzin tribe are skilled laborers, often found working the numerous constructions sites throughout Gualon. After the age of invasions, the Crutzin were vital to the city's recovery. Many orcs from this tribe originally hail from the Rothkquin tribe. They are frequently older orcs maimed in battle or too badly wounded to be as effective as they once were. Crutzin orcs have low to moderate intelligence. They are able to understand basic commands, most units of measure, and some common, though they do not speak it as well as other tribes, nor do they have any desire to learn. They often work with ogres, giants, and other Gualonians not only to see to construction, but also to see to supply of materials. The Crutzin aid in the bustling Gualon commerce trade, from seeing that lumber and other heavy building supplies are safely stored, to assisting in the export of the valuable pitch and mortar from within Gualon's swamps. Frequently, the Crutzin work hand in hand with the Merchant Guild. From their close association with the business world, they tend to understand the value of money and trade, and they are one of the first to lobby for continued peaceful relations with not only the humans of Gualon, but those from different areas, who also have valuable commodities available for trade.

Jugriin - Hunting Tribe

Jugriini orcs spend most of their time hunting for the rest of the tribes. They are vital to the orc population's survival in Gualon, as the city does not, and cannot supply enough food to sustain them on its own. The Jugriin are the most aggressive of the orcs, trained in the art of the hunt and not in ways of law or order. They are frequently uneducated and prefer to spend their time learning the ancient art of the hunt from their aging elders. They are fiercely protective of their hunting grounds, which includes the Nameless Desert to the east of the swamplands. Their low intelligence often renders them unable to distinguish humans visiting Gualon from those who would mean harm to it. While citizens coming and going are somehow identified and largely ignored, a few visitors have reported being attacked within the swamps just outside the city. The Jugriini are usually responsible for these offenses, though these attacks are rare occurrences and dealt with swiftly.

The Droghan are a small and secretive tribe who are followers of the god Rothik. Unlike the other tribes, an orc must be born into this tribe; there is no joining via rites of passage or any other way. The orcs believe magic is an inherited characteristic, a trait that very few orcs possess. Thus, orcs who are not born into the Droghan Tribe cannot possess magic, according to tradition. Whenever the orc battalions are called out to war, or skirmish, they are always accompanied by the Droghan. The Rothkquin will not fight unless at least one member of the Droghan is present. The intelligence level of the Droghan is undetermined. Some speak little to no common. But orcs believe the Droghan to perhaps be the most intelligent in matters most important to them. Others swear the Droghan know much more than they let on. They are rarely found within the city itself, choosing to remain with the encampment or the surrounding swamplands. What they do there is almost as secretive as the tribe itself.

Other orcs have established small tribes in other areas of Hollow, predominantly in the Gamorg area in Rynvale, where they find kinship with the ogres there. Some of the orcs exiled from Gualon choose to live there, while others strike out on their own and live elsewhere in the lands.